In a bold move to safeguard public health, Australia has announced a comprehensive plan to tackle the escalating trend of vaping, particularly aimed at curbing the emerging nicotine dependency among its youth. Starting January 1, 2024, the country will initiate a ban on the import of disposable single-use vapes, marking the first phase of a major crackdown on smoking devices.
Health Minister Mark Butler declared this decisive action in response to alarming statistics indicating a surge in vaping among young Australians. Recent government data reveals that about one in seven teenagers aged 14 to 17 and one in five young adults aged 18 to 24 are actively using vapes. This spike in usage comes despite a 2021 ban on the purchase or import of nicotine vapes without a doctor’s prescription.
“Vaping was introduced as an alternative to smoking tobacco, but it has unfortunately fostered a new generation of nicotine dependency in our community,” said Butler. He stressed the gateway nature of vaping to traditional smoking, which remains a leading preventable cause of death and disease in Australia, accounting for almost 20,000 deaths annually.
The upcoming ban will be followed by a prohibition on the personal importation of all vapes. From March 2024, only licensed health professionals like doctors and nurses will be authorized to prescribe therapeutic vapes. Additionally, the Australian government is poised to introduce legislation next year to prevent domestic manufacture, advertisement, supply, and commercial possession of non-therapeutic and disposable vapes, aiming for comprehensive control over the devices at every level of the supply chain.
“All Australian governments are committed to working together to halt the disturbing growth in vaping among our young people,” Butler emphasized.
The Anthony Albanese government cited “strong and consistent evidence” indicating that young Australians who vape are about three times more likely to take up smoking in the future. To counter this, ambitious plans, including an increased taxation on tobacco, were announced earlier in May, though the timeline for these measures was unspecified at that time.
“Vaping was sold to governments and communities worldwide as a product to aid long-term smokers in quitting,” Butler remarked earlier this year. “However, it has transformed into a recreational product, particularly targeting our youth, which was never the intention.”
To combat the rampant black market in vaping products, the Australian government will allocate an additional $25 million to the Australian Border Force and $56.9 million to the Therapeutic Goods Administration over two years.
The Australian Medical Association welcomed the import ban, with President Steve Robson praising the government’s decisive action. “Australia has been a world leader in reducing smoking rates and the subsequent health harms. This new initiative to curtail vaping and prevent further harm is a commendable step forward,” Robson said.
